The Perfect Costume
by enniferfs
Summary: Finding matching Halloween costumes to suit a picky Malfoy is exasperating! Maybe Hermione just needs to trust him to do it; she might end up with the perfect costume. Runner-up for Best Romance in the Q&P 'There's a Troll in the Dungeon' Halloween OS competition.


All canon character, plots, and situations from the Harry Potter series belong to JK Rowling. I am not profiting from this work.

Thank you to my beta I_was_BOTWP for their time and work on this story! It wouldn't be so polished without her!

* * *

"You've got to be kidding me! I will not be wearing anything on my head."

"And why not? The whole point of wearing a costume is to look like something other than yourself!"

"I happen to like the way I look just fine, thank you. There is no need to have a fit because I don't wish to go out with my hair all out of order!"

"Ugh! You're impossible! You've rejected every idea I've come up with."

"I hardly think it would be particularly dignified of me to dress up as one of your ridiculous Muggle superheroes. You won't catch a Malfoy wearing tights to begin with, but you're mad if you think I'd ever wear them with underpants on the outside."

It was one week before Halloween and they still couldn't agree on how to dress up for the Potters' costume party. Hermione and Draco were sitting in the living room of her flat having what seemed like the same argument they had been having over and over again for at least three weeks. She supposed it was a break from the usual disagreement about how ridiculous it was for him to be renting his own flat when he rarely bothered to spend any time there, choosing instead to basically live in hers.

"Since when does one have to look dignified at a costume party! Besides, there were plenty of other suggestions…" Hermione sighed, frustrated.

She was fresh out of ideas. She had been hoping to find coordinated costumes, so nobody would be able to miss that they were a couple. She knew it was a statement, but she was tired of the pureblood women from the old families still treating Draco like he was single, as though she was nothing but a passing fancy to be replaced. They'd been dating exclusively for over a year, she figured it was reasonable to stake her claim and mark her territory at this point. Draco had agreed with her that this party would be the perfect place to do it, as everyone who was anyone would be in attendance at Potter Manor; Harry and Ginny had really gone all out with their parties since their wedding the previous fall. It made it all the more puzzling that he was being so uncooperative. She was so frustrated with his behaviour, she was nearly willing to settle for getting him to wear any costume at all.

"Well, I certainly wasn't going to go out looking like a caveman, overalls were no improvement, I look terrible in plaid, a cowboy hat would have ruined my hair, and a mouse wearing suspenders and a bowtie is just silly," Draco retorted.

"You take that back! Mickey Mouse is NOT silly, it's a classic costume! He is an icon!" Hermione shouted, outraged. "You are such a snob! Since none of my ideas are good enough for you, why don't you come up with something then." She pouted.

"I still don't see why we couldn't just go as a witch and wizard, wear nice dress robes."

"The theme, Draco, is Muggle Mania. We will be surrounded by witches and wizards who will know right away if all we've done is wear our best dress robes!" She was starting to think he might not even be listening to her. She was pretty sure she had spoken exactly the same sentence only two days previously after he had made the same suggestion upon rejecting her proposal of going as a cowboy and cowgirl. She took a deep breath to calm herself before speaking again. "Would it really be so terrible to look silly for just one night? Is it really that important to you that you look dignified?"

A look of panic flashed briefly in Draco's eyes before he could mask it. He reached forward to take Hermione's hands in his own.

"It is very important to me that we look dignified for this party, " he clarified in a much softer tone of voice. "I want to show off the beautiful woman I love. Please, let me take care of our costumes?"

"You promise to find something Muggle? I don't want to stand out and be a bad sport…" whispered Hermione.

"It will fit the Muggle theme, but I make no promise that you won't stand out, my love."

She nodded and sighed.

"Alright, I trust you."

Draco smiled and pulled her close to hug her tightly.

* * *

One week later and it was finally Halloween. Though she had been bugging him throughout the week, Draco had refused to tell her what their costumes would be, only divulging that he had come up with an idea and that she would find out when it was time to get ready for the party. The week had seemed to stretch on forever as her curiosity grew, but her patience was about to be rewarded.

She heard the floo go off and rushed out into the main room of the flat to see Draco stepping out of the fireplace carrying two garment bags, one much more voluminous than the other. He walked toward her room, pausing only to peck her lips quickly, and hung the larger of the two bags on the closet door. He had been carrying two boxes in his other hand, which he placed on the floor.

"Tilly," he called out clearly, causing his favourite house elf to appear promptly in the bedroom. "Hermione will need some help to get ready, as we discussed earlier, alright?"

"It is Tilly's pleasure to help, Master!" she squeaked. As Draco turned to leave the room, the little elf took Hermione by the hand and pulled her to the corner of the bed to sit down.

She had half a mind to protest, but decided to hold her tongue this one time. Within moments, the elf had wound her curls into a beautiful updo, the likes of which would only be possible through elf magic.

Once the bag and boxes were opened, Hermione found herself face to face with a shimmering replica of Cinderella's ball gown, complete with glass slippers and a simple, yet elegant tiara. She could hardly believe her eyes, though Tilly would not make time for her gawking and quickly helped her into the dress. The tiara was placed upon her head with a light sticking charm, the shoes upon her feet after several cushioning charms and she was finally ready.

Dashing out into the hall she nearly crashed into her very own Prince Charming.

"May I escort you to the ball, Princess?" Draco drawled with his most aristocratic smile in place.

"That would be lovely," she answered softly, placing her hand gently at the crook of his elbow as they made their way toward the floo.

* * *

From the moment they had arrived, Hermione and Draco had been turning heads. It was true that their costumes were absolutely spectacular, though it was surely the fact that they practically glowed together and had eyes only for each other that caught everyone's attention.

Harry had congratulated them on a job well done for their costumes, while Ginny had winked conspiratorially at Draco before he could whisk Hermione away to dance and mingle.

Some time into the evening, just as they had paused to get some refreshments, Harry's amplified voice had directed the guests to please make their way outside to the garden. Though she had tried to hurry him along to join the others, Draco had insisted they would go as soon as he could retrieve another glass of punch, making them the last to reach the patio, with its sweeping stone steps down into the garden.

As Hermione rushed to the steps, pulling him behind her, she stopped abruptly as soon as she noticed the assembled guests were all looking directly at them. Feeling embarrassed that they were late, she turned to scold Draco, only for him to swiftly drop down on one knee in front of her.

"My darling Hermione," he said with affection, "You have brought light into my life which was filled with darkness before you came. You've taken this miserable wretch of a man and made him happy, well, at the very least, less miserable." He grinned somewhat sheepishly and continued. "I cannot imagine going through another day without you. Will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?"

Her hands began to shake and tears threatened to slip from her eyes. Words to describe her emotions refused to come, and so she fell back on simplicity.

"Yes!"

He stood and slipped a ring onto her finger. And then she was kissing him, her fingers threading through the hair at the nape of his neck and his arms winding themselves tightly around her waist. Their audience was applauding and whistling and cheering. They pulled apart to look at each other.

"Aren't you a little bit glad you aren't dressed as a cowgirl, or a mouse? He whispered and smirked at her.

"You've been planning this, haven't you! After all the trouble you put me through, you had this planned all along!" She exclaimed.

"And if I did? You did say you wanted to lay claim to me…" he chided as he reached for her hand.

"That I did," she answered, laughing. "And yes, I suppose I am glad for your choice of costume, now that I have all the information!"

"It was the only way to surprise you! Was it a trick or a treat?" Draco asked, suddenly serious.

"Definitely both, my love," Hermione answered earnestly before kissing him soundly on the mouth again.

"Well then! Happy Halloween!" He laughed as they were suddenly surrounded by their friends, ready to celebrate.


End file.
